


A Lesson in the Dark

by monoidea



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:08:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24092581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monoidea/pseuds/monoidea
Summary: You don't have to go to the Shadowlands to find shadow-people.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41
Collections: Fairshaw Week 2020





	A Lesson in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Written for #FairshawWeek 2020 prompt Day 5: Stealth.

If Shaw had to say what was the most important weapon in his field of work his answer would be simple. Shadows.  
He was born into shadows and grew up in it; it held a comfort the daylight never provided. His senses accommodated to them, his ears were sharp and his eyes even sharper, even his nose and skin could detect the slightest shift in the air that indicated movement and possibly danger. The shadows were his element. Whereas surprise was not.

He was treading the path leading back to the Redemption after a quick visit at the Admiralty. The day was long and all he wished for was to let himself sprawl on the mattress of his uncomfortable cell - no, cabin - aboard the ship. Possibly read through the most recent reports. Stretching his limbs to ease the pain in his aching joints was also on his list. Just then as he took a turn to the left and the harbour came into view he felt subtle movement behind him. Subtle, for those untrained, but his senses flared up with an alert. He slowed his steps but didn't stop entirely, with the aim to lull whoever or whatever was lurking about into a false sense of remaining undetected. His hair stood on end because they were close now. His nerves sang with alarm, the surge of adrenaline set them aflame. His heart rate elevated a little, but he learned to keep it in check, a side-result of three decades of training.  
"Show yourself!" he bellowed into the darkness, but whoever was lurking nearby, clearly had a death-wish. There was no response.  
Shaw caught the hand reaching out at his throat before it got anywhere near him. In a flurry of movements, his perpetrator was smashed against the nearby stone-wall with unbelievable strength. The thing is, Shaw's movements were faster always than his coherent thoughts, and he disabled the figure before actually checking out who they were, what they wanted, and if they were really a threat. It happened in a split second, daggers at the ready, pressing against a pale throat.  
Then he saw who it was. Shaw grit his teeth and let out a slow, controlled breath. Controlled because he was relieved, angry, and worried all at once. As he had no facial expression for this weird mix of feelings, so he went with his usual impassive one. Because his perpetrator was no other than Flynn Fairwind, looking sheepish and amused with hands raised in surrender and a peal of confused laughter got caught in his throat. Shaw knew he was going to speak and braced himself.  
"Woah mate, for someone your age you move fast as hell." Flynn laughed, and the odd goofy sound cut sharply into the night air. Shaw ignored the insult, caught up in his own rage.  
"When I say show yourself, freaking do so. I almost slit your throat, you fool." Shaw said with anger. He removed the dagger that was pressing against his throat and noticed that he nicked his skin and a thin dribble of blood trickled down visibly.  
"Don't ever do this to me again." His voice low, and full of valid threats.  
Flynn knew he should take the admonition to heart, but he had other ideas, no doubt his infatuation with stabby men was taken to a new level ever since he met Shaw. An irrational thrill surged through him and kept doing things to different areas of his body. Shaw chose to ignore the blush and the dilated eyes, he sheathed his dagger.  
"Maybe next time I will be more dextrous. You know I learn fast." Flynn said with an air of nonchalance. The wiggling eyebrows that accompanied the sentence were hard to ignore and Shaw groaned in frustration.  
"No next time. If you try to do this once again, I _will_ kill you," he stated. And it wasn't a threat, in reality, it was a matter of fact. A moment before Flynn just came close too to dying, and Shaw felt the bitterness of guilt lodged in his throat. With gentle fingers, he tapped the side of Flynn's neck prompting him to turn his head a bit to check the wound he inflicted in his abrupt self-defense. It barely grazed his skin, it was a thin and shallow cut. Flynn let him check his handiwork, all the while his dreamy smile remained etched on his face. His eyes were glittering with mischief and their gaze met. Shaw glared at him icily.  
"Don't attempt anything like this again. Ever." as if to emphasize, Shaw tightened his hold on Flynn's throat briefly.  
Flynn swallowed, but caught his hand, linked his fingers in a gentle clasp, almost caressing his wrist.  
"How else should I practice my skills?" he asked, in a way more suggestive tone than Shaw would have liked.

***

Flynn was patient, or so he liked to state that about himself. In fact, he hated waiting but it was a matter of endurance, and he did fairly well in that regard. This time though, he realized, he was losing his battle when it came to patience, he was on edge. Especially since the night descended and everything quieted and turned dark, he felt anticipation pooling in his gut, nagging at his insides and he waited nervously. His senses were alert, incredibly so, and every detail he noticed was amplified. The planks of his ship were creaking with the waves, there was someone walking in the harbour, the waves were sloshing loudly against the piers. A gull cawed in the distance, it was far and quiet yet the noise was shrill in his ears. For a brief moment, Flynn felt a pang of pity for those who always lived like this, vigilant and wary of each and every sound. For the third time that night, he imagined a presence with him in his cabin, which was kept dark with a purpose. A creak of wood sounded once again, loud and clear, and Flynn inhaled sharply. His blood thrummed in his ears, and it was too loud and he felt fear creeping up on him because whatever telltale noise he was supposed to hear, he would miss it. The fear didn't help him with his racing heartbeat, and it got quicker by the minute. He opened his eyes, darkness met him. He stood, fighting for control because when he was sitting he felt the sway of the ship and it bothered him in a way it never did before.  
Then the air changed. No sound was heard, everything was silent, save for the thunder of blood in his ears, but Flynn sensed just the slightest change in temperature, as minute as a cool breeze. He smiled to himself with a little pride for being able to discern, however, the hairs on his arm stood on end and goosebumps skittered all over his skin.  
The ship creaked again. This time louder.  
"Took your time, mate," Flynn said into the air, both hoping and fearing that he was heard. No answer, no sound came. He waited in the eerie silence. He felt movement in the air once again, but this time it was warm and humid, barely noticeable. _A breath?_ His eyes darted around the room in the faint nightlight that filtered through the porthole, but his eyes were useless, unseeing. Minutes passed as he stood there, it seemed like hours to his frayed mind. He was almost inclined to yell and call the game off lest his heart stopped but his pride took over and he bit on his tongue. He was slowly going mad, his senses overwhelming him.  
Out of nowhere, his legs were kicked out from below him, he fell hard on his knees and an arm circled his neck, pulling him backward and keeping him upright. It was a choking hold, strong and firm, but after a moment it became loose. Then a hand appeared on Flynn's jaw, caressing it fondly as if to calm him. A familiar scent filtered into Flynn's nostrils.  
"You have much to learn yet." a gravelly voice drawled behind him, and Flynn let out a burst of startled laughter. He leaned into the touch.  
"Teach me then, Master Shaw" he said, smiling into the darkness.


End file.
